Projects

I wanted a cool, rocker-vibe for Charlie’s sweet nursery.  Not too baby-ish, functional, with fun pops of color.  Enjoy!

When my son was born, I wanted his little space to be fun, unique and colourful. I wasn’t afraid of colour!
I made his mobile and the needle felted animals in the frames and the cat banner.
I added a drawing of Eleven from Stranger Things from a local artist, Lucky Jenny Jackson.
The  pillow is made by a local screen printer, Stoney Lake Textiles.
I bought a Frida doll from Maylo Studios.
My sons space has strong female role models. It is a vibrant, fun space that celebrates colour and challenges gender specific nurseries!
 

When creating Luke’s nursery, I knew I wanted to create a space he could grow with. I also went for a more simple vibe with less decor. It’s such a calming space that I hope he adores one day.
 
Photography Credit: Summer Days Photography

I own my own wedding planning & floral design company so the planning came naturally for our daughter’s first birthday. The theme came from a gift she received before she was born and her very fitting personality. We went with Where the Wild Things Are, but an alternative approach as we didn’t want to be too cliche with the book or the theme “Wild & One”. We chose a venue that set the vibe and relaxing atmosphere and focused our day around her. We were truly inspired by our daughter and her free spirited self. We know she loves people and why not celebrate with people in a Plant Shop? We served Topo Chico and had a salsa bar for everyone to nibble on. The cake, which included a gold crown & pink macrame came from Brown Egg Bakery. The guests and the guest of honor enjoyed it.
We had some custom lettered goods made by Akela Clark Designs. Which we can now have in her nursery. She is a great local artist who also has an etsy shop for you to purchase from.
My advice would be to not go overboard and think of how you want your guests to feel or a memory you’d like them to have. Ours was just feeling at home, relaxed, and loved. The little ones left with a book and a new (temporary) tattoo.

One of my best friends, Amanda, gave birth to a baby girl last month, and sweet Charlotte may have the most beautiful nurseries of all. I love how Amanda mixed the different blues, reds, and pinks – the pattern play is spot on in this stylish room. I’ve never seen the IKEA Hemnes overlays before and was impressed by how high-end they made the $250 dresser look! I’m sharing more details on my blog here: http://www.snapshotsandmythoughts.com/2018/01/charlottes-bright-mixed-pattern-nursery/

Have you seen those amazingly made over playhouses on your screen lately?  You know, the ones that are nicer than your own home?  So have I, but not in my own backyard.  We purchased the playhouse almost two years ago for our daughters second birthday.  After much love and (A LOT) of labor, the house was put together with no extra frills or details and was placed in our backyard.   We had a great time playing and letting our imaginations take over.  Now almost two years later, the playhouse no longer looked loved.  The elements had gotten the best of it and the house was being overrun by the awful W’s.  Wasps and wolf spiders (eek!).  The house was just begging for a make over, and after all, I do love a good project.
After thoroughly cleaning the house, I was able to persuade my husband to help take it apart and move it inside.  Thankfully, after taking some measurements, it would fit in the playroom and so we moved it in there.   Because of it’s size, I chose to keep the colors light and bright.  I started with a good primer and brushed painted the entire house.  I then went to my go to white paint, Benjamin Moore Simply White, (this is my trim, door, and cabinet color in my house) and gave the house three good coats.  I chose a pretty blush pink for the door and top window shutters and spray painted the phone, phone holder, and planter boxes in black.  The play kitchen and food shelves fit perfectly on the back wall with two additional shelves installed above the kitchen for storage.  Since the playroom can sometimes be a little dark, I opted to keep the window areas bare and not reinstall the plastic windows that came with the house.
To complete the space I moved the art desk and it’s crayons and pencils to the opposite wall and painted the roof on the dollhouse in the blush pink to match the playhouse.  Everything else in the playroom was able to stay the same (sources all listed here).  The project took a full five days to complete and we are all enjoying having it inside.  After a much needed makeover the playhouse is now loved again!

I’m a lifestyle newborn photographer and I have had the privilege of photographing some AMAZING nurseries because of it. So when we found out I was pregnant, the pressure was on (okay, to be fair – I had been planning this nursery for some time – ha!) to create the perfect space for our little girl. We live in a typical suburban builder grade home and wanted the room to look completely different than that.
TRANSITIONAL
One of the most important things for my husband and me when designing this space was making sure that the room we created would grow with our daughter. For us, that meant we stayed within a neutral color palette with the accent pieces (that can easily be changed as she grows) adding extra color.
ELEGANT & TIMELESS
We designed and built ourselves (yes, we are crazy but also avid DIYers!) timeless pieces like the wall paneling and built-in bookshelves with gold backing where she could eventually put the things that are most important to her. For now, we’ve styled it to showcase her books, framed art of family members (including our little dog because she’s family too – ha!) and some special gifts she’s been given from family and friends and we added wall sconces to add extra elegance (and light!).  We also added art that you wouldn’t typically find in a nursery to continue our theme of a transitional nursery.
 
When the room was finished, I’m not gonna lie…WE wanted it to be OUR room. I guess that’s a good thing, right?! ha!
Scroll through to the end to see the (ugly!) before photo of this space.
 
All images taken by me: Domus Aurea Portraits by Renee
 
#nursery #girlnursery #neutralnursery #gold #gray
 
 
 
 

When I was pregnant with my daughter, we transitioned our almost two-year-old to a big boy bed. Since we were changing his bed, I also decided to change his room up a little bit to give him more spaces to play, read, and incorporate some of his interests in the decor.
When designing his nursery, I used a neutral color scheme of beige and white with accents of green and invested in pieces of furniture that would be multipurpose to use in his room as he grew. Then, when I changed up his room, it just meant changing around the furniture layout to create more space in the middle for play, finding storage options for toys, creating a little spot where he could “read,” and layering in fun accents.
Going to the zoo is one of our favorite activities, and my son was a big fan of the animal heads when he saw them in my shop. We decided to go with his love for animals and the zoo and add in animal accents with the art and accessories. I found baskets to store toys and books and a soft rug for playing. He was so proud to sleep in a big boy bed, and the fact that we kept parts of his room looking the same helped make the transition easier (for both of us)!
Images by Domus Aurea Portraits

Expecting a child is undoubtedly the biggest joy for loving couples. Therefore, even though you may still feel excited and a bit scared in a good way, you should definitely start thinking about prepping your home for the arrival of the new family member. The most important thing you need to tend to is the nursery. Your baby will need personal space to rest properly, but at the same time, you need to create a cozy space you can use when you’re taking care of your baby. In that respect, you may find the following tips very useful.
Start preparing in time
You don’t really have to start designing the nursery as soon as you find out you’re expecting, but it would still be very practical and responsible to start with the organization and design as soon as possible. In general, the nursery has to be completely finished at least a month before the baby is born, so that there is no toxic residue lingering around from the paint or wallpaper, and the whole room is fully equipped for the baby’s comfort. Not to mention that this will be an enormous task off of your baby prep list during the final month of pregnancy when you need to relax and rest as much as possible.
Nursery furniture
The most important thing about the furniture you need for the nursery is that it’s sturdy and durable. Make sure that the coating and paint of the furniture don’t contain any toxic ingredients. Then you can make your search more specific and look into different possibilities.
For instance, a crib is definitely not something that will last your child for long, but it is a necessity and it can be multifunctional if you opt for a crib that can be transformed into a toddler’s bed. There’s absolutely no compromise with a changing table though since one of these will be a lifesaver, especially if it has proper storage available underneath the table surface. On the other hand, when it comes to the wardrobe and chair, you can choose pieces that can be useable by your child even when they’re a teenager. Look for wardrobes that have plenty of storage room. Also, you will need a comfy chair for sitting when breastfeeding or cuddling with your child.
Make the nursery comfy
You don’t want the nursery to feel empty or cold in any way. In that respect, even though you should never clutter this space up with trinkets, you can still make it cozy and warm. With that in mind, the first thing you can do is enriching the room with textures. Breezy and light yet cute and interesting curtains as well as a nice armchair throw will do the trick. Not to mention the possibilities you have when it comes to comfy and soft round rugs for the center of the room. Furthermore, you can get a CD player that will play soothing music for both you and your child. Also, don’t forget about hanging baby crib toys and soothers. In case you want to install a floating shelf, you can arrange some stuffed toys as well, but don’t go overboard since these are dust collectors and may cause allergies.
Other essentials
The child needs natural as well as proper artificial light. This is why your curtains need to be light and breezy, so that the light can freely get into the room through the windows. On the other hand, bright lighting solutions are not the best choice for artificial lighting in a nursery. However, the brightness will be necessary from time to time, so it would be best to install a dimmer switch for the nursery. Also, make sure that the heating system works properly but the crib is not too close to the heat source.
When it comes to painting, make sure that you choose non-toxic paint. In general, pastel and monochromatic tones are perfect for a nursery. You also have the freedom to add wallpaper with an interesting pattern so that you make the whole space livelier without actually having to hang too much wall art or adding other decorative bits that will only make the room look messy.
Don’t forget that your nursery has to be clean, with plenty of floor space for you and your child to move freely. So make sure you analyze the designated nursery room for the best furniture layout so that you don’t have any trouble with placement and organization later on.

Nursery in Wonderland
I went back and forth on the nursery theme for a while. I didn’t know if I wanted to go with just a colored pallet or a full theme. I spent too much time on Pinterest looking at ideas. Finally came across something that inspired me to go with an Alice in Wonderland theme with a vintage twist. I had the pleasure of working with 3 amazing artists to put this theme together. It turned out way better than I ever imagined. Her room is hands down my favorite room in the house.
Sleepy Station: White crib I actually got on a swap shop for $30 (score!). Quilt & crib skirt I made with Alice in Wonderland fabric I was able to find on eBay. Photos above her crib are from her newborn photo session. Alice painting was done by the amazing Avalon from The Crea8tive Pencil.
Snuggle Station: This rocking chair ROCKS my world. Seriously so comfy! The chair was painted by Girls with Brushes as well as the nightstand. The lamp I found at target for $13 on sale. Alice Pillow is from Amazon. The adorable bunny her Auntie brought her all the way from Rome.
Changing Station: Pink changing table by Girls with Brushes. Artwork by The Crea8tive Pencil. I made the curtains to match the crib skirt & did I DIY project on the puzzle piece while I was waiting to go into labor…(she was 3 days late…)
Memory Cabinet: This crazy beautiful piece was created by Girls with Brushes. I just love this cabinet so much. Inside it has little pieces of things from my childhood & my husbands (books, baby photos, baby clothes, etc), along with little bits on Alice in Wonderland woven throughout.
Belly Casting: This might be one of my favorite things in her room. When I was pregnant (about 37 weeks) my momma helped me do a belly casting. Erin from Art Body Sarasota created this amazing design and put it on my belly with henna. (blog post on that coming soon). Then Erin brought this design to life on my belly casting. It’s now a timeless piece of artwork.

My friend and I hosted a joint birthday party to celebrate our two daughters turning three, since their birthdays are only 5 days apart! They both share a love for unicorns and fairies and all that magical fun, so that was our theme.
Most of the decor was DIY, from the paper flowers on the table backdrop, to the unicorn centerpieces. We also took donations to our local Make-A-Wish chapter, in lieu of gifts, and were able to raise $950!

I am not a major pink fan, so my goal was to create a classy, sweet feminine nursery without it! I used a neutral white, ivory, and gray palette with a priority for texture. I love the added wood elements and how it brings the entire design together. This is definitely my favorite room in our home! Love it so much. <3

Hey Friend,
“WELCOME TO MY CRIB” – Van
His name alone is so strong that we couldn’t not make his nursery one he would (never) always remember. ;)
Let’s be honest the nursery is more for the Momma to gaze at before, and during her life becoming a mom. Somewhere that feels like a safe haven for both Mom and babe, but if you’re having a boy, masculine enough where Dad feels like he can come and change a diaper… or ten.
I have been waiting to show you this for quite sometime, because let’s be honest paint was going on the walls the second we found out it was a boy. But I would be lying if I said putting together a boys nursery is an easy task. I had the perfect vision of a little girl’s room, floral wallpaper behind her crib, neutral yet feminine which all quickly was put on hold when the blue dust fell from our gender reveal.

But what did make it much easier was I am a girl of NEUTRAL! White walls, wood tones, metallic accents describes my inner soul. Which leads me to Vandiver’s nursery.
Vandiver Lee Johnston named after his great grandfather, Thomas Rueben Vandiver has a nursery unlike any other. His nursery “theme” inspired by his great grandfather and great uncle with the nascar pictures of our very own. Colliding the vintage pictures with a modern style my nursery dreams came true.

As a first time mom not knowing the gender of my baby but wanting to be prepared as possible,  I  choosed neutral colors for our little Sunshine. I figured that by selecting the beautiful combinations of neutral colors such as yellow, gray and white, I didnt have to stress about the gender of the baby. My husband and I always sang “You are My Sunshine”  and “Twinkle Twinkle” to the baby while in the belly and we both knew that we wanted to make these songs part of our baby’s lullaby night routine. This idea helped us choose essential parts of the nursery such as the lamps, wall decals, courtains and pictures. Best advise to parents is to have fun with choosing colors instead of specific themes as this rule was essential in our decision making and made our dream nursery a fun and stress free project. (Nursery Pictures by Jose Diaz)

Before we even knew we were having a girl, I knew I wanted to incorporate an artist that my Aunt Mary and I have loved over the past few years, Lulie Wallace. I love the simple elegance of her florals and after ordering some samples, I decided to go with the Lara print (her wallpaper names are as beautiful as the designs!). I loved the pretty blues and greens with the touches of pink. It became the inspiration for the rest of the room. For bedrooms, I like to use more cool, calm colors – makes the space more relaxing, which is nice for the place you sleep. The Venetian blown glass chandelier is probably one of my favorite things in the room, besides the wallpaper. Our house is almost 100 years old, so I wanted a traditional, but unique room for our daughter. The wallpaper, antique chandelier, custom curtain pattern and blue crib definitely gave unique touches. My tip: budget for the items that are important to you and find cheaper options for the rest. I really wanted the wallpaper, pretty curtains and a comfortable glider, so those were my bigger ticket items. The dresser, I bought at a garage sale and painted, the chandelier my friend found for me at an estate sale, some items were gifts and the rest I pulled from other rooms of my house or found for a good price.
You can read more details on my blog here.
Photos by Sally Cavanaugh

For a spring baby, a whimsical tea party theme seemed quite fitting for a 1st Birthday celebration!
 
 

From the moment I found out I was expecting, even before I knew the sex, I had already begun planning my baby girl’s nursery in my head. Luckily SHE ended up being our little dream come true so my vision could come to life. I began by planning my ideas on my Pinterest board all the while following MANY nursery accounts on instagram. My inspiration came from all of the beautiful rooms I saw online while also trying to incorporate my stye into the nursery as well. I absolutely adore the way it came together.

Simple Nursery Design. Modern and airy.

Simple midcentury modern nursery for a little girl. Simplicity and purity.

Simple woodland for a little man with not flashy colours.